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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25630087">Mix and Match-Maker</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antigone2/pseuds/Antigone2'>Antigone2</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>UsaMamo Week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Comedy, Crack Fic, F/M, Silly, i attempted it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:48:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,388</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25630087</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antigone2/pseuds/Antigone2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"There's a problem."</p><p>Neo-Queen Serenity always wondered how Setsuna Meioh had shared a house with Haruka and Michiru for years and still never learned the art of knocking before entering a room. Sailor Pluto always just appeared in full regalia right behind her like a spectre of punctuality and intense vermillion eyes and just launched into whatever she'd come to say - and it usually wasn't just to chat about the weather.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>mamoru chiba &amp; king endymion, neo queen serenity/king endymion, usagi tsukino &amp; neo queen serenity, usagi tsukino/mamoru chiba</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>UsaMamo Week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1847353</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>111</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story is a bit behind BUT I’m saying it's both AU and Mix-and-Match (day 5 and 7) and I'm also gonna go ahead and throw my Free Day (day 6) in there. </p><p>This will probably be a three part story, so it'll match the days. Kinda. Although I think it may take a few days to get it completed.</p><p>The challenge is:</p><p>Day 1 - Silver Millennium (Chapter 1: Decoy)</p><p>Day 2 - Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask (Chapter 2: Truth Serum)</p><p>Day 3 - Usagi and Mamoru (Chapter 3: Love Letter)</p><p>Day 4 - Crystal Tokyo (Chapter 4: Tabloid)</p><p>Day 5 - AU (Chapter 5: Mix and Match-Maker Part I)</p><p>Day 6 - Free day</p><p>Day 7 - Mix and Match</p><p>Now, warning:</p><p>This fic is RUSHED. It wasn't beta'ed. It was barely pre-read. It's a total CRACK FIC which means it's meant to be funny/silly and makes fun of the source material in the most loving, gentle way. I would imagine a fun doujinshi of this, if that helps you figure out what I'm trying to do.</p><p>Please keep that in mind, but let's enjoy the ride!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Mix and Match-Maker:</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>A Crack Fic</strong>
</p><p>I.</p><p>"There's a problem."</p><p>Neo-Queen Serenity always wondered how Setsuna Meioh had shared a house with Haruka and Michiru for years and still never learned the art of knocking before entering a room. Sailor Pluto always just <em>appeared</em> in full regalia right behind her like a spectre of punctuality and intense vermillion eyes and just launched into whatever she'd come to say - and it usually wasn't just to chat about the weather.</p><p>"What sort of problem?" Endymion stood from his desk, where he'd been attempting to get some documents read. Serenity hopped down from the arm of his chair, where she'd been attempting to distract him.</p><p>"It involves the timeline," Pluto continued. "And you two. Specifically."</p><p>"Well, <strong><em>I </em></strong>haven't been messing around with the timeline lately," Serenity said, with a pointed look at her husband, who held up his hands.</p><p>"Neither have I," he said. Then after a sheepish pause, "I mean not since that whole… sending portents of doom to my past self and all."</p><p>Pluto and Serenity shared a meaningful, universal look which translates between women across all time and space and lifetimes. 'Men. What are you gonna do?'</p><p>"Anyway," Pluto said, "it's not anything either of you did, per se. It's a timeline hiccup. An AU problem."</p><p>"Ey-you?" the queen repeated, tilting her head in confusion. She glanced at Endymion who gave her a small shrug.</p><p>"AU stands for alternate universe. There are billions of them, but most are far too faded and weak to effect the main timeline in which we live."</p><p>"Okay, following so far," Endymion said.</p><p>"Glad one of us is," Serenity muttered.</p><p>"But every so often, one comes… close. Gets stronger. I don't know if it's likelihood or proximity or just plain bad luck, but usually it's little things that blink away or blend right in with our own reality. This one is concerning because it's awfully close and there is a main, glaring difference between that world and ours, occuring in the 1990s in Tokyo."</p><p>"What happened?" Serenity asked, eyes widening slightly.</p><p>"It's more what <em>didn't</em> happen," Pluto said.</p><p>Both royals looked at her expectedly. Then, sighing, Endymion asked, "What didn't happen?" He couldn't really begrudge Pluto's flare for the dramatic, considering he was guilty of the same thing at times.</p><p>"You two never got together."</p><p>"What?" he said, and "How?" she said, at the same time.</p><p>"Beryl was defeated by Sailor V in London. Venus joined the Senshi after the fact, but with no Beryl there were no more youma. No Kunzite in the Starlight Tower. No Princess reveal. You two never went past the 'test paper in the face', 'dust goes in a dust bin' phase. No miracle romance."</p><p>The royals exchanged identical, utterly confused, glances.</p><p>"But how-, how would any of that <em>work</em>? What about the other enemies? Won't they still come?!"</p><p>"Honestly, I don't know. Perhaps without the pull of the Silver Crystal they will not. Perhaps they will and the Senshi and Tuxedo Mask will discover their true identities then. But I cannot take that chance. If this universe were to merge with ours, the results of you two not being together would be catastrophic."</p><p>"I can only imagine," Endymion said, putting a gloved hand to his chin.</p><p>"Not to mention, it would mean no Small Lady," Pluto declared. "Which canNOT happen."</p><p>"No, of course not," Serenity agreed, shaking her head in agreement.</p><p>"I think it's quite obvious what you have to do," Pluto said, seriously.</p><p>Serenity looked at Endymion, Endymion looked at Pluto. They both slowly shook their heads with blank looks.</p><p>"Go back in time and knock some sense into your past alternate selves!" Pluto said, exasperated. Wasn't King Endymion at least supposed to be smart? She wondered.</p><p>"Knock some…," Serenity looked concerned. "How do you mean?"</p><p>"Won't being in the same place as our previous selves cause a disturbance in space time?" Endymion asked.</p><p>"Not in this case, due to the AU stream."</p><p>"Won't I recognize myself?" Serenity mused.</p><p>"You would both be masked by the same magic that meant no one recognized Sailor Moon even though Usagi was the only girl in Juuban with that hairstyle."</p><p>"What about clothing? Money? A place to stay?"</p><p>"I'm so deeply sorry, majesties, but I'm a bit too busy monitoring the billions of threads of time for possible threats and guarding the time door through endless eons to hold your hands through this," Pluto said. "But I trust you'll figure it out."</p><p>They exchanged glances, again.</p><p>"If you'll forgive the expression," Pluto said, gesturing toward the door, "time is of the essence."</p>
<hr/><p>Being thrown back to 20th century Tokyo was like being dropped in the deep of the pool when the last time you remember swimming was 1000 years ago.</p><p>Serenity started hyperventilating right away. "I don't remember any 20th century kanji!" she said, eyes flailing around the street signs and storefronts. The humid, exhaust-filled air and bustling, moving people on all sides made her yelp and dart closer to a garbage-filled alleyway, the shimmering white of her gown dragging in the city grime.</p><p>"You didn't know 20th century kanji in the actual 20th century," Endymion said, absentmindedly. He didn't notice Serenity's glare as he shrugged off his jacket and pocketed his metals and gloves, tightening his belt around his white shirt and lilac-colored trousers. "There," he said, glancing down at himself. "I think I look…. Mostly right for this time."</p><p>Serenity shrugged, "20th Century you wore purple pants too, so, you'll fit right in I suppose." She frowned at her gossamer gown, then pulled the skirt up to her teeth.</p><p>"What ar-"</p><p>With an almost-feral pull of her teeth, the cloth tore, and Serenity used her hands to continue rip the delicate, expensive fabric around the skirt until a swath of fabric floated to the alley floor like snow. The dress now fell to just above her knees, hem ragged in a way that could pass for fashionable - in parts of Harajuku.</p><p>"There," she said, a little breathlessly. Then, "What?"</p><p>"That was so hot," Endymion said, staring at her exposed legs.</p><p>Serenity grinned and took a step toward her husband, but her hand had just brushed across his chest when a shock ran through her arm, making her yelp and jump back.</p><p>"Sorry, one thing I forgot to mention," Sailor Pluto was once again directly behind her, between the brick wall of the alley and the dumpster sectioned to burnable and non-burnable trash. "You two really should avoid each other. If you get too close, the paradox of you being together in one universe and not in another kind of… gets wonky."</p><p>"Wonky," Endymion repeated, flatly.</p><p>"Wonky," Pluto confirmed.</p><p>Serenity frowned. "So, we are just… on our own?" She met Endymion's eyes. "How are we supposed to plan how to get our past selves together if we can't talk?"</p><p>"You can talk," Pluto said, "the Crystal Palace communicators should still work here," she nodded her head at the thin bracelets they wore. "Although, please do <em>not</em> use them where anyone else can see or hear. I'd prefer not to have two paradoxes on my hands."</p><p>Pluto looked between the two bewildered, and kind of pissed off, faces of her sovereigns. "Guess who got you two some 20th century yen?" she announced cheerfully, handing each a wad of cash. "You're welcome!"</p><p>"Look!" Serenity said, stepping toward the mouth of the alley. A very familiar figure was walking along the sidewalk, Juuban school uniform, golden odango'ed hair, giant cake-and-ice-cream filled crepe at all. "It's meeeee!" She curled her fingers together at her chest. "Oh, she's so adorable." Serenity turned to glare murderously at Endymion. "How could you not have fallen for that precious baby?!"</p><p>"<strong><em>I</em> </strong>did!" he insisted.</p><p>"Well, apparently not, if we're here," Serenity hissed under her breath. "Pluto, do me a favor and just whap him for me," Serenity said, gesturing with a slapping motion. "Just like, right in the arm there."</p><p>"Oh!" Pluto said, looking at Endymion and then back at Serenity. "No."</p><p>"Look," Endymion said, stepping slightly away from both women. "Am I correct in assuming we don't have much time?"</p><p>Pluto nodded. "Yes, please try to hurry this along. Ideally, we should have a tongue kiss by Friday, or at least some heavy hand-holding by the weekend. This time stream is heading ever closer to ours."</p><p>"So… I guess… I'll take Usagi?" Serenity said to Endymion. "Since I know her so well?"</p><p>He made a face. "But Mamoru is such a jackass," he complained.</p><p>"Yeah." Serenity said. There was a pause. "Well, okay good luck then!" She picked his lavender jacket off the ground and shook it out, then shrugged it over her bare shoulders. Rolling up the sleeves and tying the front of it together over her waist, she walked out onto the streets of Juuban to only a few errant stares. Mostly from salarymen. Mostly at her legs.</p><p>"You may want to start at The Crown," Pluto told Endymion and then she was gone just as quickly as she came, which, Endymion knew, he'd also done all the time as Tuxedo Mask.</p><p>Didn't make it any less annoying, he thought.</p><p>"Well, here goes nothing," he muttered, and stepped out into the Tokyo sun.</p><p>End Part I</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So UsaMamo week 2020 is over!</p>
<p>It was an amazing success with SO many people participating and making amazing fanworks! Thank you all!</p>
<p>This story is my way of filling up the days, even if it's after the fact lol</p>
<p>The challenge was:</p>
<p>Day 1 - Silver Millennium (Chapter 1: Decoy)</p>
<p>Day 2 - Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask (Chapter 2: Truth Serum)</p>
<p>Day 3 - Usagi and Mamoru (Chapter 3: Love Letter)</p>
<p>Day 4 - Crystal Tokyo (Chapter 4: Tabloid - see AO3 or Tumblr)</p>
<p>Day 5 - AU (Chapter 5: Mix and Match-Maker Part I)</p>
<p>Day 6 - Free day (Chapter 6: Mix and Match-Maker Part II)</p>
<p>Day 7 - Mix and Match</p>
<p>Now, warning:</p>
<p>This fic is RUSHED. It wasn't beta'ed. It was barely pre-read. It's a total CRACK FIC which means it's meant to be funny/silly and makes fun of the source material in the most loving, gentle way. I would imagine a fun doujinshi of this, if that helps you figure out what I'm trying to do.</p>
<p>Please keep that in mind, but let's enjoy the ride!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mix and Match-Maker:</p>
<p>A Crack Fic</p>
<p>II.</p>
<p>Someone was in his seat at the counter.</p>
<p>Mamoru blinked for a moment, feeling an odd sort of sensation as if he'd walked in on himself, sitting in his usual seat, chatting to Motoki, sipping a coffee - a glitch in the proverbial matrix.</p>
<p>But then he shook his head slightly and the man talking to Motoki was just a person, one Mamoru hadn't met yet. Which was strange, because he knew most of Motoki's friends, at least by face.</p>
<p>"Hey," he grunted to his friend, taking the seat next to his usual seat. Motoki had a black coffee all ready for him, waiting and hot.</p>
<p>"Chiba Mamoru, this is my cousin's friend, Tsuchimoto Kingo," Motoki introduced them.</p>
<p>"Call me Kin," the man said with a smile, reaching out to shake Mamoru's hand. He seemed older than Motoki, but not by much. He had hazel eyes and hair the color of smoke, and his white button down shirt seemed way too dressy for just hanging out in Crown.</p>
<p>"Chiba," Mamoru said, returning the handshake. He noticed Motoki smirk out of the corner of his eye.</p>
<p>"Sorry, Mamoru here isn't the friendliest," Motoki said cheerfully. "Kingo is new to Tokyo, he just graduated college and is doing a bit of job hunting. He said my cousin suggested he introduce himself to me so he knew someone in town."</p>
<p>"And now I know two people," Kingo said, giving Mamoru a small, amused smile - as if he was in on some joke Mamoru wasn't privy to. Mamoru already didn't like him.</p>
<p>"Well, I think I'll be taking my coffee to go," Mamoru said, picking up the drink cup and giving Motoki a nod goodbye.</p>
<p>"Wait- actually!" Motoki stopped him and paused, giving that sheepish, very familiar 'I need a favor look'. "Since I have to work all day, I told Kingo that maybe you could…. show him around a bit?"</p>
<p>"Unless, of course, you have plans already?" Kingo said, with that weird amused smile again.</p>
<p>Mamoru looked at Motoki, who had the nerve to grin and shrug. "No, it's fine," Mamoru said, making an effort to appear laid back and friendly. He took a sip of his coffee and then gestured toward the sliding glass doors. "Let's go then."</p>
<hr/>
<p>"So, wait, you want to give me a what?" Usagi asked, tilting her head at the woman in front of her.</p>
<p>"Free romance consultation!" The woman - Sere- smiled. Usagi was already enthralled with her. She was intimidatingly gorgeous, and her shredded hem dress seemed so effortlessly cool. Plus, she was super nice!</p>
<p>She'd run up to Usagi and introduced herself, gushing about how yummy Usagi's crepe looked and how she'd love to get one herself.</p>
<p>And soon they were sitting together on a park bench near the crepe vendor and eating chocolate ice cream and cheese cake wrapped in sweet thin french pancakes together. Sere treated Usagi to another one ('so I don't have to eat alone!' she'd winked) and launched into a speech about her new business.</p>
<p>"So you started a dating service?" Usagi said, taking a giant bit of crepe.</p>
<p>"No, it's actually more of a... guided inner soul searching to find who holds the other end of your red string of fate." Sere nodded a little after her speech. "Yeah, that sounds pretty good."</p>
<p>Usagi looked at her in wide-eyed wonder. "Wow! And you'd do one for me?!"</p>
<p>Sere smiled in that breathtaking way and nodded. "Of course!" She leaned in close, and added in a conspiratorial tone, "You'll be my guinea pig, how about that?"</p>
<p>"You mean I'll be your bunny?" Usagi giggled and Sere responded with an open-mouthed smile and a poke in the arm.</p>
<p>"I like you a lot, Tsukino," Sere said, popping the last of the crepe into her mouth and delicately licking some errant sugar off her fingers. Usagi was fascinated at how she managed to down a whole crepe in a minute while still eating so gracefully and beautifully - and not a dot of chocolate on her pure white dress.</p>
<p>"I like you too," Usagi said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.</p>
<p>"Now, let's find your soulmate!"</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Why am I not surprised I'm miles ahead of you already," Serenity said breezily, dropping her shopping bags on the floor and sprawling out on the bedspread.</p>
<p>"I've made a little headway!" Endymion's tiny face pouted in the holographic display that projected from the crystal on Serenity's communicator bracelet. "Mamoru's not the easiest guy to get to open up, if you remember."</p>
<p>"Vaguely, yes," Serenity said with a teasing smile.</p>
<p>"Anyway, I got a few words out of him here and there, and I'm even staying at his place," Endymion said.</p>
<p>Serenity blinked, "Oh okay, that<em> is</em> impressive. We'd been dating for at least a year before I even spent the night there. Remember?"</p>
<p>"Vaguely, yes," he answered. He didn't mention he'd told Mamoru the airline had lost his luggage and asked outright to borrow some clothing and once he was in Mamoru's apartment, he just brought up sleeping on Mamoru's couch as if it'd already been discussed. Endymion knew how to strong arm his past self into attempting social graces.</p>
<p>"Anyway, we mostly talked school and job options, but I figure tomorrow I'll ease into bringing up Usako and see where that takes me…"</p>
<p>"Endy. Darling. Remember what Pluto said? Friday. Tongue kissing. We can't be 'easing into' anything! Plus, I spent almost all my money already."</p>
<p>"Already?" Endymion said.</p>
<p>"Well I needed an outfit that wasn't torn up! Plus a place to sleep!" She pouted prettily. "Just the necessities."</p>
<p>"Right."</p>
<p>"Anyway! Back to the subject at hand. Try to be a little more forceful in bringing up Mamo-chan's love life in conversation. I mean, I already gave Usagi a love survey to take home and do!"</p>
<p>"So you are telling me you gave Tsukino Usagi homework?" He smirked. "Definitely batting a thousand, my love."</p>
<p>Serenity groaned.</p>
<p>"Tomorrow is another day," her husband said. Then his little hologram looked over his shoulder. "I gotta go," he whispered, "I think Mamoru is wondering why I'm spending so long in the bathroom."</p>
<p>She managed to get in an "I love you" because the hologram flickered away. Serenity sighed and stared up at the ceiling of her suite at the Tokyo Four Seasons.</p>
<p>She really really hoped this wouldn't be harder than she thought.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Usagi sat down in the booth across from Sere, cheerfully ordering herself a parfait and melon soda. "My treat, this time!" Usagi bubbled.</p>
<p>She produced her survey, which was completed, in multi-colored glitter pens ('so <em>there</em>, Endy,' Serenity thought). Her answers were so typical teenage girl it made Serenity's heart twist with nostalgia.</p>
<p>"Dashing, mysterious, sharp dresser…," Serenity murmured to herself as she read through the 'most desired in a partner' answer. Definitely Tuxedo Mask made an impression on this Usagi, even though they'd only fought together for a short time.</p>
<p>It was just then that the bell over the cafe side door jingled and Mamoru walked in, waving at Motoki and sitting down. Serenity gave her husband's younger version a tender look. She'd forgotten how warily he used to walk, lanky form tense and controlled.</p>
<p>Mamoru gave off a cool, unapproachable vibe that completely clashed not only with her smooth, amiable husband but also even with her memories of him when they were dating, so long ago - when he was earnest and funny and doting. His walls had been broken down for so long, Serenity had forgotten how formidable they used to be.</p>
<p>"Sere? Are you okay?" Usagi was asking, and Serenity blinked and shifted her gaze back to her small charge.</p>
<p>"Let's do a quick practice," Serenity said, gently pushing the survey to the side. "It's important to look around you and really see people, you may find things you notice that will help you in the search for love. After all, true love rarely just falls in your lap."</p>
<p>Usagi nodded seriously, and Serenity was amused to see she was more focused on this than she'd definitely ever been on schoolwork.</p>
<p>"What about that guy?" Sere pointed with her ice cream spoon behind Usagi's shoulder, and she turned toward the counter.</p>
<p>"Motoki?" Usagi sighed. "I know, right?" She sipped some of her soda. "He has a serious girlfriend, though."</p>
<p>"No um," Serenity pressed her lips together, gesturing again. "The… customer? The one in the green jacket? He looks cute."</p>
<p>Confused, Usagi turned and looked again. Mamoru caught her eye and lifted his hand in greeting. When Usagi faced forward again she had a skeptical look on her face.</p>
<p>"Oh, you know him?" Serenity said.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately." Usagi sighed. "His name is Mamoru and he's ... ," here she paused for a while, as if trying to figure out exactly how to explain something incredibly complicated. "Mamoru."</p>
<p>"Ah."</p>
<p>"He's always, just around? And he gives advice I don't want or need," Usagi said. "Makes fun of my grades, calls me 'odango atama' because of my hairstyle - which I'm not changing just because some college jerk thinks it's silly looking."</p>
<p>"Sounds like he really gets under your skin," Serenity said.</p>
<p>"Yeah," Usagi agreed, unclenching her jaw and trying to focus on her parfait. "Sure does."</p>
<p>"Sometimes that could mean something you know," Serenity said. "That maybe there is a spark there?"</p>
<p>Usagi was looking at Serenity with growing trepidation. "Um, listen, Sere, I know you think you have a calling or whatever, but if you are matching me up with <em>Mamoru</em> then maybe love consulting isn't your thing after all."</p>
<p>Serenity really didn't have an answer for that, so she grabbed the survey paper and pretended to scrutinize it more. "You have a lot of friends," she said, noticing that Usagi had listed so many names under that question that the list went to the back of the paper.</p>
<p>"Yeah," Usagi agreed.</p>
<p>"I guess you must be pretty amiable then? Able to make friends easily?"</p>
<p>"I guess," Usagi shrugged. "I never really thought about it."</p>
<p>Serenity didn't look up from the paper, saying lightly, "This Mamoru, does he have many friends?"</p>
<p>Usagi was quiet for a bit. "I don't know," she said. "Motoki and him are super close. And he's friendly with Unazuki, Motoki's sister."</p>
<p>"But he's not usually here with big crowds of people, chatting with schoolmates, bringing up social plans, things like that?"</p>
<p>"No, he's always alone," Usagi said it like it annoyed her, complete with an eyeroll.</p>
<p>"I see under 'dislikes' you put 'being alone'," Serenity read. (Usagi had also written 'school, spicy food, waking up early, chores and diets', and Serenity was amused to see little had changed in 1000 years after all).</p>
<p>"Yeah, so?"</p>
<p>"Nothing," Serenity said, "Just… maybe... "</p>
<p>Before Serenity could finish her thought, a familiar-yet-unfamiliar cacophony of laughter and chatter interrupted them.</p>
<p>"Tsukino Usagi actually early to something?" a teenage Hino Rei said, with a sassy expression.</p>
<p>"And I see you started without us," a young Aino Minako said, plopping down next to Usagi and helping herself to a spoonful of parfait.</p>
<p>"Who's your friend?" Kino Makoto asked.</p>
<p>"I was just leaving," Serenity said, standing and gesturing for a quietly standing Mizuno Ami to take her seat. "Have fun with your friends, Usagi." She leaned down a bit, quietly adding, "Think about what I said, okay?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>Endymion found Mamoru sitting on a park bench reading, while Usagi and her friends (they looked so young and carefree, he reflected, almost sadly) played frisbee nearby.</p>
<p>"How was job hunting?" Mamoru asked, and Endymion waved his hand and made some noncommittal sound.</p>
<p>"So, this park is nice."</p>
<p>"Yes," Mamoru said, "it's nice to get fresh air sometimes."</p>
<p>Just then a frisbee careened past them, spinning into the grass by Mamoru's feet. Usagi jogged up, annoyance on her adorable face and one fisted hand on her hip.</p>
<p>"Uh, little help?" she asked.</p>
<p>Mamoru tilted his head, brows raised in faux sympathy. "Odanga Atama, I think you might be past help," he said.</p>
<p>Usagi made a face at him, wiggling the left side of her body in annoyance. "Mamoru-baaaka, I meant with the frisbee."</p>
<p>In response, he laughed and said something else that earned a 'huff' in return, while Endymion retrieved the frisbee.</p>
<p>"Excuse me, miss?" he said, and he had to say it twice, because Usagi's attention was focused fully on Mamoru, who was now openingly grinning arrogantly at his little blonde sparring partner while she sputtered and flushed.</p>
<p>When she finally heard Endymion, she turned and took the frisbee with a beautiful smile and a sweet 'thank-you' with a bow. A complete 180 from the red-faced sass she'd thrown Mamoru. She blushed a little at Endymion's smile, gripping the frisbee in her hands and backing away a couple steps at a time before turning and running off.</p>
<p>As she darted back to her friends, blonde pigtails streaming behind her, Endymion couldn't help watching her go, a soft smile on his lips.</p>
<p>"She's a special girl," Endymion murmured, almost to himself and Mamoru gave him a strange look.</p>
<p>"She's too young for you," he said, gruffly, returning to his book. Endymion couldn't help but to laugh.</p>
<p>"I just meant her talent at the frisbee," he commented, and Mamoru looked up from his book and saw Usagi toss the plastic disk to Minako in a perfect arc.</p>
<p>Mamoru frowned and nodded a bit in a 'huh, touche' expression.</p>
<p>"It must be fun having a girlfriend so energetic and funny," Endymion commented and Mamoru jerked his head up and looked toward his companion with a perplexed and annoyed expression.</p>
<p>"Usagi isn't my girlfriend," he said, slowly, as if explaining something very obvious to someone very stupid.</p>
<p>"Oh, my mistake," Endymion said, raising a hand. "I just assumed."</p>
<p>"Tsukino Usagi would nev- I mean, Usagi <em>date me?</em>" he shook his head, half-laughed in an awed sort of way. "That'd be crazy."</p>
<p>"Really? Because I haven't seen you smile or laugh like you did with her the whole time I've been staying with you."</p>
<p>Mamoru blinked.</p>
<p>"Well, I still think it'd be fun to have a girlfriend like that," Endymion said, resting his elbows behind him on the bench causally, squinting into the Tokyo sun. True, it was an important mission with a lot at stake, but there was something superbly freeing about openly sitting in a public park with no security or titles or scrutiny.</p>
<p>Mamoru was quiet.</p>
<p>Truthfully, the thought of being with Usagi romantically had literally never occurred to him. Usagi was just the girl he saw every day (made <em>sure</em> he saw every day), and of course he thought she was pretty and of course he secretly loved every second of every interaction they had but-</p>
<p>She was Usagi. She had her place, he had his, and the very idea of … of dating her? Holding her hand? … <em>Kissing her?</em></p>
<p>Kingo was saying something but Mamoru didn't hear him.</p>
<p>Across the park, Usagi threw the disk again, with flawless aim, and it landed right at Mamoru's feet again.</p>
<p>This time, when she went to retrieve it, Kingo interjected before Mamoru could speak. "Do you have room for another player, Miss Usagi?"</p>
<p>Mamoru didn't like how Usagi blushed to her roots and nodded quickly. "Y-yes. Yeah. Sure."</p>
<p>He was just about to turn and lay into Kingo for daring to even glance in Usagi's direction when Kingo reached over and took Mamoru's book out of his frozen hands.</p>
<p>"Great," he said with a smile, nodding his head toward Mamoru. "Go ahead then."</p>
<p>"Excuse me?" Mamoru sputtered. The <em>gall</em> of this man!</p>
<p>"It's nice to get some fresh air sometimes," Kingo said, with a strangely innocent expression.</p>
<p>"Mamoru-baka?!" Usagi said, her mouth open and delighted. "You are gonna play with us?"</p>
<p>"I'm- not-"</p>
<p>"Why?" Usagi smirked, "Afraid of getting your butt kicked by an unladylike klutz?"</p>
<p>"We'll see who is getting their butt kicked," Mamoru said, rising to the challenge. He took the frisbee from Usagi's hands and tossed it toward the girls in a fairly impressive arc toward Makoto, who caught it deftly. "Let's go, Odango Atama."</p>
<p>She danced off, giggling: "Oh it's <em>on</em>!" and Mamoru jogged after her, still responding to her taunts with his own.</p>
<p>Endymion glanced around and then tapped the bracelet communicator. "Did you see that, darling?"</p>
<p>"I did," Serenity's little hologram answered. "Mamo-chan is super easily manipulated, isn't he?"</p>
<p>"Yup," Endymion said proudly. Then paused. "Wait a min-" but his wife just responded with her silvery giggle and blown kiss before the communication ended.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*Kingo is a real name, using "Kin" as the kanji for 'gold'. The name Tsuchimoto can mean "Earth's source". Irritablevowel helped me come up with these names.</p>
<p>Serenity, of course, couldn't be bothered with a back story or fancy clue-filled name.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, so let me explain to you a thing.</p>
<p>A storm came and my power went out and didn't come back on for A LONG TIME and internet didn't come back on for even longer but otherwise we are all okay even all the chickens.</p>
<p>SO. That's (partially) why this is so late. But! I DID finish it out! UsaMamo "week" is officially in the books.</p>
<p>The challenge was:</p>
<p>Day 1 - Silver Millennium (Chapter 1: Decoy)</p>
<p>Day 2 - Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask (Chapter 2: Truth Serum)</p>
<p>Day 3 - Usagi and Mamoru (Chapter 3: Love Letter)</p>
<p>Day 4 - Crystal Tokyo (Chapter 4: Tabloid - see AO3 or Tumblr)</p>
<p>Day 5 - AU (Chapter 5: Mix and Match-Maker Part I)</p>
<p>Day 6 - Free day (Chapter 6: Mix and Match-Maker Part II)</p>
<p>Day 7 - Mix and Match (Chapter 7: Mix and Match-Maker Part III)</p>
<p>Now, warning:</p>
<p>This fic is RUSHED. It wasn't beta'ed. It was barely pre-read. It's a total CRACK FIC which means it's meant to be funny/silly and makes fun of the source material in the most loving, gentle way. I would imagine a fun doujinshi of this, if that helps you figure out what I'm trying to do.</p>
<p>Please keep that in mind, but let's enjoy the ride!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mix and Match-Maker:</p>
<p>A Crack Fic</p>
<p>III.</p>
<p>Serenity checked her watch and frowned, looking around the bustling Juuban shopping center with narrowed, searching eyes. It was a gorgeous Friday afternoon and Usagi always spent gorgeous Friday afternoons shopping with her friends here. Right? She could have sworn this was her weekly hang out. Or was it the other shopping center?</p>
<p>Just when she was about to panic (time was running out!) she saw her past-self giggling in a gaggle of school kids as they window shopped.</p>
<p>"Usagi!" she called, running to the shorter girl and waving. "Can I steal you a moment?"</p>
<p>Usagi blinked in surprise and turned to look at her friends, stretching her mouth into a grimace. "Oh… uh… I kinda… well, see… I'm out with my-"</p>
<p>"Oh great thanks!" Serenity grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "I need your opinion on some outfits!"</p>
<p>"Don't you think you should ask someone your own age?" Usagi blurted, then blushed and put her hand behind her head with a nervous laugh. "I don't mean that you are old or anything just that my style might not be… um, sophisticated enough for you?" Usagi thought for a moment. "I mean, a good 80% of my clothing has bunnies on it." Serenity noticed the girl glancing back at her friends group longingly.</p>
<p>"Well, um... !" Serenity glanced at her wrist, where a silent message popped up just in time. "Let's get some food then! My treat."</p>
<p>Sere proceeded to lead Usagi past some of Usagi's most favorite food vendors and right to a European-style cafe with outdoor seating. Usagi hadn't eaten there before, and she'd really been craving the dango from Fuji-san's shop window, but food is food, and free food is better, so she sat down across from Sere and picked up a menu.</p>
<p>To Usagi's surprise, Sere ordered an espresso and nothing else, which didn't seem like her usual sweet tooth (which had rivaled Usagi's own the past two times). Just as the waitress left with their orders, a semi-familiar voice rang out behind Usagi's shoulder.</p>
<p>"What a coincidence!" the voice said.</p>
<p>Usagi turned to see the handsome man from the park, smiling at her next to a stony-silent Mamoru.</p>
<p>"Chiba, isn't this the lovely frisbee player from the park?" the man said, with a bow and a smile at Usagi, who returned the greeting just as politely.</p>
<p>Mamoru nodded in Usagi's direction and she rolled her eyes back at him.</p>
<p>"And who is your beguiling companion here?" the man asked, eyes falling on Sere with an almost worshipful gaze.</p>
<p>"Uh… This is Sere….?" Usagi looked at her as if asking for a family name, but she just smiled breezingly at the newcomers.</p>
<p>"Just Sere," she beamed.</p>
<p>"Just Sere," he repeated, flatly. A strange expression came into his eyes - amusement, maybe? Sarcasm laced with fondness? It seemed familiar, but Usagi wouldn't place it.</p>
<p>"And you are?" Sere asked, raising perfect eyebrows and lacing her fingers together under her chin.</p>
<p>"Tsuchimoto Kingo," the man - Kingo - said.</p>
<p>"Kingo? That's… an interesting name," Sere said, and both Usagi and Mamoru glanced between them in interest as her voice had a strange edge of laughter in it.</p>
<p>"With the 'kin' for gold, and Tsuchimoto meaning 'root of Earth'," he explained, and Sere nodded as he talked, with her lips pressed tightly together.</p>
<p>"Fascinating," she said, with wide, innocent eyes.</p>
<p>Usagi definitely recognized that look - she had thought<em> she'd</em> invented it.</p>
<p>"Anyway, Chiba and I were just out looking for apartments…," Kingo said, with a strange emphasis that went right over Usagi's head.</p>
<p>"That's very fortunate because I'm actually a real estate agent," Sere said, standing up.</p>
<p>"I thought you were a matchmaker?" Usagi said, confused.</p>
<p>Sere waved her hand, "That's more of a side hustle."</p>
<p>"I hate to make you leave your friend," Kingo said, just as the waitress arrived with Sere and Usagi's orders.</p>
<p>Sere turned to Mamoru, "Why don't you take my seat? Assuming you like the espresso at this place."</p>
<p>Mamoru frowned, with a half-shrug. "If you insist."</p>
<p>"We'll get the bill on the way out," Sere said, squeezing between the seats in her hurry to vacate the cafe.</p>
<p>Usagi watched Kingo and Sere walk off together - or 'together' since they seemed to be keeping a strange amount of distance between them. Feeling strangely like she'd been set up, Usagi turned toward her parfait and started shoveling in her mouth.</p>
<p>Mamoru lifted his cup gracefully. "Careful Odango Atama, if you choke I'm not responsible."</p>
<p>Usagi rolled her eyes, licking some chocolate syrup off her ice cream spoon. "Whatever, you are just jealous I have this amazing dessert and you have the tiniest cup of coffee in the universe."</p>
<p>"It's an espresso," Mamoru said, "and it's the only reason I'm sticking around. This place has the best espresso in the city."</p>
<p>"So you are only sticking around because of the good coffee?" Usagi dimpled. "Sounds familiar, that's what you told Yumeno when we sat for that painting."</p>
<p>He shrugged again, awkwardly, and Usagi grinned around her spoon. "I'd almost think you like my company, Mamoru-baka."</p>
<p>While Mamoru huffed and told her something like not flattering herself, Usagi tuned him out a bit and thought back to Sere telling her Mamoru didn't have many friends. And maybe… if she tried hard enough, she could make friends with him. However, did she even want to? She and Mamoru were fundamentally incompatible, after all.</p>
<p>Then Mamoru looked up from his teeny cup, a hint of coffee still on his upper lip, confused at Usagi's introspective silence. "What?" he said, and he sounded so genuinely awkward underneath his arrogant veneer that Usagi couldn't help the warmth that bloomed into her smile.</p>
<p>"Nothing," she sing-songed. "Just decided spending time with you might not be such a terrible thing."</p>
<p>"You sure know how to make a guy feel special," Mamoru rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>Mamoru was surprisingly patient waiting for Usagi to finish her parfait, not that he had to wait long - she basically inhaled it. As she stood from the table, she stumbled a bit on one of the adjunct chairs and fell backwards into Mamoru.</p>
<p>"Think you can get out of here in one piece?" he teased and Usagi made a face at him.</p>
<p>"Hey- what - " she squirmed a bit, but he kept his arm firmly around her shoulders as they walked toward the exit.</p>
<p>"Just saving the other patrons from pigtails landing in their coffee, or an odango atama sprawled in their lap," he said, steering her around tables with a laugh in his voice.</p>
<p>Usagi stuck her tongue out at him, jabbing her elbow into his side, "Ugh, baka."</p>
<p>"I believe the words you are looking for are 'you're welcome'," he released her once they were out on the sidewalk and Usagi brushed her skirt and tossed her hair with a defiant huff.</p>
<p>They stood there for a moment, awkwardly. Normally Usagi would've 'don't you have some place boring to be'-ed him, pushing him away and (trying to) put him out of her mind. Which was, she realized once Sere brought it up, very much unlike her usual attitude with people. Something about Mamoru was really different and she didn't know what. And thinking about it made her feel weird and nervous and confused so she just didn't think about it. Until now. Until Sere and her annoying matching making.</p>
<p>Mamoru ran a hand through his hair, "I'm sure you have friends to go meet and hang out with…" he said. It was true, she could rejoin her schoolmates or use her communicator to see if her senshi friends wanted to hang out. She could go to Crown and chat with Unazuki or OsaP to gossip with Naru.</p>
<p>But instead she linked her arm through Mamoru's cheerfully. "Oh, can't we stick together for a while? It's a sunny day and you are good for shade." She pretended to rest in his shadow, shading her eyes as if she was looking up a tall tree.</p>
<p>"Well, that's good then because you are good for an armrest," he said, putting his elbow on her head and resting his head on his hand. "Perfect height."</p>
<p>Usagi pushed him off, all 'baka' and huffs but if she was being honest with herself… she hadn't minded him touching her, even just to tease. She could still feel the ghost of his arm around her shoulders from the cafe, the firmness of his chest and the muscles in his arms.</p>
<p>They continued down the sidewalk while Sere and Kingo watched from opposite alleyways and shared a thumbs up.</p>
<hr/>
<p>That evening, however, as the sun dipped below the horizon and shoppers headed to restaurants or home for dinner, Serenity was pacing nervously around a fountain. Mamoru and Usagi had seemed to be getting along great, but still not great enough to propel Serenity and her husband back to the 30th century. And it was getting worse, the dizzying, lightning-like pain when she got too close to Endymion. Now they had to stay a good 20 feet away from each other to lessen the effects.</p>
<p>Serenity had tried calling Pluto on her communicator, but she hadn't answered - perhaps it just didn't work across time, or perhaps things were really, really wrong.</p>
<p>Just then, Serenity glimpsed a familiar odango'ed hairstyle in the thinning out crowds and rushed toward Usagi, knowing she looked out of breath and crazy, and only half trying to hide her worry.</p>
<p>"Usagi! Thank goodness!" Sere said, "I was just coming here to ask how things went with Chiba, you looked like you were getting along wel-,"</p>
<p>But to her surprise, the younger girl pulled back, annoyance flaring in her blue eyes. "Your advice was bad!" she snapped. "I hate how you are always on my case about Mamoru!"</p>
<p>Serenity lowered her hand, stepped away, mouth open slightly. Usagi's eyes had filled with tears and two little red circles were growing on her cheeks.</p>
<p>"What did he do?" she asked, mind circling back to all the ways her soulmate could be moody, cagey, mean, pushing away happiness...</p>
<p>"Nothing," Usagi snapped, rolling her eyes. Tears started to fall and she swiped at them with annoyance. "It was fine, he was even almost nice if I was nice first…"</p>
<p>"And?" Serenity felt strangely at a loss, for the first time it was like the girl in front of her really was a stranger.</p>
<p>"And everything was already fine before you showed up!" she cried. "Before… before you made me think I had to be his friend, before you made me <em>look</em> at him and I hate it!"</p>
<p>"I don't-"</p>
<p>Usagi stomped her foot, hands in fists. "You keep trying to make me do things I don't want to! I'm just a kid! Stop trying to mess with my love life!" Then she froze, embarrassed at her outburst. She swallowed and hugged herself.</p>
<p>"I'm so sorry Usagi," Serenity breathed. "You're right. I shouldn't have forced you into anything."</p>
<p>Usagi sniffed, nodded in acceptance of the apology, and walked off into the growing twilight.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Night was falling, and Serenity could sense Endymion standing a few feet behind her - not just by the usual way she always knew her husband's footstep and breathing, but because her back started to burn just by the proximity.</p>
<p>"I didn't think it'd be me," she said, hoarsely. She hadn't expected it to be him, either, that ultimately destroyed them. But Serenity really <em>really</em> didn't think it'd be Usagi who doomed them to never be together. Of all the people. Not Beryl, not Demande, not Harvard… but their own past selves.</p>
<p>Serenity looked up finally, lifting tear-filled eyes to Endymion, who met her gaze with sorrow.</p>
<p>"This isn't the end," he said, after a while. It felt like the air was electrically charged, like a storm was brewing although the sky was clear. Serenity felt like she was breathing in a cloud of thick cotton, everything was heavy and dark.</p>
<p>"I think it is," she said, into the fog.</p>
<p>"I promise I'll find you!" was the last thing she heard as she faded from existence.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The air conditioning of the Crown Arcade and Cafe was refreshing after the humidity of the day. Mamoru ducked under the metal grate Motoki had mostly lowered over the entrance and let himself in, calling out, "Hello?"</p>
<p>Motoki was putting chairs up on the tables, "Hey," he greeted.</p>
<p>"Almost ready?" Mamoru asked, lifting some nearby chairs and starting to help Motoki close.</p>
<p>"Actually," the blond said, nodding his chin back behind him, "I could use help with an errant customer."</p>
<p>Mamoru turned in surprise to see Usagi sitting at a booth in the empty cafe, staring blankly at her hands and looking more lost in thought than he assumed was possible. "She looks serious," he murmured to himself and Motoki nodded.</p>
<p>"I haven't been able to get her attention, figured that's one thing you excel at," Motoki grinned, wiping his hands on his apron. "I'm gonna go finish counting up the register in the back."</p>
<p>Mamoru approached Usagi curiously, wondering what could have affected her so deeply in less than an hour since he'd seen her last. They'd actually had a pleasant afternoon together, all things considered. Usagi seemed to be making an effort not to be openly antagonistic, and Mamoru did HIS best to respond in kind.</p>
<p>Ever since Kingo had brought up the idea of Usagi as a possible romantic interest, Mamoru hadn't been able to stop thinking about that absurd scenario. Still, laughing and teasing their way through Juuban, it had felt almost like Usagi and he could have been a couple - to anyone observing who didn't know them. He was certainly more comfortable around her than almost anyone else in his life.</p>
<p>But, as if Usagi would ever. As if that sort of person, with that sort of popularity, that sort of cheerful outlook on life, would ever work with an uptight, socially awkward college student whose romantic life so far had consisted of losing friends by turning down their confessions in unintentionally cruel ways.</p>
<p>"Hey, Odango Atama," Mamoru said, walking up to the table. Usagi blinked but didn't move. Her face was locked in a little frown, furrowed brows and all.</p>
<p>"Usagi?" he said, trying out her real name. "Motoki closed the cafe half an hour ago?"</p>
<p>She pressed her lips together but didn't answer.</p>
<p>"Did…. did something happen?" he asked, sliding into the booth next to her, hoping to snap her out of it - have her push him away with a 'leave me alone, Mamoru-baka' or something similar.</p>
<p>But she just turned to him and looked so utterly bereft that Mamoru didn't know what to do. Why did Motoki think he could handle this?</p>
<p>"I think I<em> like</em> you," she said, with such defeated exasperation that Mamoru had to do a double take on her words.</p>
<p>"Huh?"</p>
<p>"I said, I think I like you!" she said, shifting to fully face him, hands up in the air and face confused and overwhelmed. "Like, <em>like</em> like you. I think I have for a long time! I think I just realized it and I can't believe I was so <em>stupid</em> and - don't you dare say anything baka! - I can't believe I'm just like every other lovestruck girl in Tokyo with a crush on Mamoru Chiba!"</p>
<p>"Y-you're not…" he was having trouble forming words through the cotton in his mouth.<em> Usagi Tsukino? Just like every other girl?</em></p>
<p>"So go ahead!" she said, pouting and looking at him with trepidation. "Lord it over me, I know I would if I were you."</p>
<p>Usagi braced herself for the teasing, or worse, an uncomfortable brush off. Or, even worse than that, pity.</p>
<p>But that's not what happened.</p>
<p>Instead, he kissed her. Suddenly, in one smooth movement, his hand sliding across her cheek and his lips pressing to hers and they were soft and dry and tingly. When he went to end the kiss, Usagi grabbed his shirt in both her fists and tugged him back toward her, enthusiastically and clumsily and passionately kissing him back in the most Usagi way possible.</p>
<p>Motoki walked out from the back, blinked, and then turned and walked right back where he came from, eyebrows raising almost right off his head.</p>
<p>And time shifted and reformed and fixed itself and two future versions of them winked out of existence.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Oof!" Serenity landed on the marble floor of her room in the crystal palace. She struggled up to her elbows. "Why again didn't we put down carpet?"</p>
<p>Endymion groaned a little next to her, sitting up with a hand on his head. "Good question, considering your propensity to end up on the floor."</p>
<p>"Wait," Serenity said. She looked down at herself - still wearing her intact, untorn dress. She touched her arms, her hair, and looked around her. "Are we back? Does that mean it all worked out after all?"</p>
<p>She grabbed Endymion's shoulder - he was once again in his suit and no longer the borrowed 20th century clothes from his past self (too bad, she always did think they were cute). "I can touch you again!" she grinned.</p>
<p>"Oh thank god," he breathed, pulling her into his arms for a passionate embrace.</p>
<p>"You are correct," Sailor Pluto said, from right behind them.</p>
<p>They jumped and scrambled up to face the Senshi of Time as she looked at them with a placid expression. "It did work out," she continued. "This AU has woven back into the time stream and is no longer a worry."</p>
<p>"So wait, what happened?" Serenity asked eagerly. "Did they end up tongue kissing? Was it because of us? How did everything go down in the end?"</p>
<p>"Yes, it all ended up the way it was meant to," Pluto said, not elaborating, to the queen's disappointment.</p>
<p>"Are there any more of these… 'AUs' floating around in which we may need to intervene in the future?" Endymion asked.</p>
<p>Pluto was quiet for a beat too long. "Anyway, I shall bid you two goodnight. As always thank you for your assistance, and for your discretion."</p>
<p>"But that didn't exactly answer m-," Endymion paused. "Where'd she go?"</p>
<p>Serenity shrugged at him. "That's Pluto for you."</p>
<p>Now that they were finally alone, in their own time, and able to touch, Endymion pulled his wife toward him and no more (coherent) words were spoken between them for the rest of the night.</p>
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